Saturday, 9 June 2012

He who laughs last...

The 2012 South Holderness Cup

Part 2 - The Final

Thursday 31st May

Easington United ‘B’ 5 Withernsea ‘A’ 4

A week is a long time in local football. Or rather, nine days is, as the players of
Withernsea ‘A’ team have just learnt to their cost. From ecstasy to agony is a painful journey
and as I stood before the two participants in the immediate wake of the finest
South Holderness Cup Final that I can remember, part of me wanted to eke out
the formalities for as long as I possibly could. Revenge certainly tasted sweet in the damp
Low Farm air this particular evening.

From the moment the two finalists had been decided
by the previous week’s semis, it was apparent that to most people outside
our club there was to be one outcome – Withernsea would complete their
first South Holderness Cup win for nineteen years. The only question appeared to be by what
winning margin.

Since that 1993 victory (a 6-3 win over our First
Team at Hull Road)
the Seasiders have appeared in five finals – and lost the lot. We accounted for them in 1997 (our first
win), 2002, 2003 and 2006, while Keyingham (now Hedon Rangers) beat them in
2001.

Our Reserves had appeared in one previous
final. In 2009, represented by members
of the club’s third-string, the ‘B’-squad had succumbed 6-1 to Kenny Harrison’s
all-conquering Hedon Rangers side. Many
feared a repeat of such a scoreline this time around.

There's a few in tonight

As with the semi-final, Facebook played a big part
in proceedings. Having had the
brass-neck to accuse our camp of using the tool to excess in advance of the
semi-final, some members of the “favourites” were all over the site in the days
leading up to the final.

“Best in Holderness? Not anymore!”

“Move over Easington, the new boys are in town.”

You get the gist. It didn’t make pleasant reading.

In addition, I fielded a request from the Seasiders
secretary asking if the post-match venue (competition sponsors The White Horse
Inn) would be big enough given the large turnout expected to make the short
trip down the coast. I told him I was
confident we would cope.

Meanwhile, Cup Referee’s Secretary Steve Spruce was
subject to several conversations that left him feeling Withernsea’s
confidence was beginning to border on arrogance. “I hope
the final doesn’t become embarrassing; y’know, not too one-sided?” was one
typical comment.

In some respects such material was like manna from
Heaven ahead of my forthcoming appearance at our annual presentation evening.

With most of the players present, the night acted
as a rallying call for the forthcoming game – as well as a great celebration of
the Casuals’ Division 5 title-winning campaign of course.

The local paper, The Holderness Gazette, did us
proud on the day of the game with almost a full page turned over to the
Final. Local websites HU12.net and
Seaside Radio also did their bit to draw in the crowds. And as an afternoon of heavy showers made way
for some welcome tea-time sunshine, all seemed set for a fitting finale to the
local football season.

The Underdogs

The Favourites

They began arriving slowly but as I prepared to
offload the last half-dozen match programmes on the gate, the final band of
Withernsea supporters to come down Beck Street helped confirm that this would be the
biggest Cup Final attendance in several years.

It was also the most dramatic start to a Final I’d
seen in several years…or sort of seen. I
managed to turn around from my gate duties just in time to catch Big Stumo meet
Fozzy’s free-kick to head past Withernsea keeper Richardson; 1-0 after just 38
seconds.

As I completed the last couple of programme transactions – to
Seasiders fans not knowing whether to believe my early score update or not – I
missed Andy Milbank pass up a glorious chance to make it two. Sod this, I wasn’t going to miss any more.

"One Nil!"

I’d taken my usual place in front of the
Hospitality Area just in time to see Withernsea player/manager John Dunn curl
home an exquisite free-kick while the home defence was still organising its
wall. 1-1 and only 7mins played. This had the makings of a classic.

There are fewer more pleasurable sights for me than
Low Farm on match day, lined on all four sides by spectators (even if on one of
these – the top end goal – this “lining” actually amounted to barely a
handful of people). And those forming part of a
crowd totalling 180 according to the official head-count were getting some
excellent entertainment.

On 14mins Milbank was on hand to slide home after
Withernsea’s Sammo had inadvertently diverted a cross into his path. 2-1 and moments later it could have been
three; Milbank this time beating Richardson all ends up with a stunning effort
but the ball bounced down off the underside of the bar and away. Was it over the line? Many said it was; others not. I couldn’t tell but more importantly, the
referee’s assistant was not in a position to confirm either way. Play on then.

2-1 thanks to Handy Andy

The dark clouds that had formed a spectacular
backdrop at kick-off time were starting to unload their contents as we
approached half-time. Our lead didn’t
look comfortable and the lively Luke Smith went close to levelling. But, as referee Pharaoh blew his whistle, the
advantage was still ours.

During the interval we told ourselves that whatever
happened in the next 45 minutes, the Stiffs had done themselves proud. But, if being honest, I think we knew we'd all be
bitterly disappointed not to go on and win it from here.

This feeling increased nine minutes into the second
half when Josh Price converted Wilky’s cross at the second attempt to make it
3-1.

The same player then squandered a great chance to
make it four, before Richardson
got down well to deny Wilky. We could have
been 5-1 up. It could have turned into
that “one-sided final” predicted by our opponents beforehand!

Josh makes it 3-1

Withernsea had made a double-switch at half-time
but with twenty to go were looking devoid of ideas. Then, a throw-in to the box saw Jordan Hart
and Jimmy Neilson come together.
“Handball” was the initial shout but when Mr Pharaoh pointed to the
spot, he signalled it was for a push by the Easington midfielder. Up stepped skipper Nige Newton to send Ben
the wrong way. Withernsea had a
lifeline.

Suddenly the noise coming from the “Ryvita Stand” –
now well-populated due to the rain - was that of a Withernsea persuasion. And on 74mins they had further cause to
cheer; Smith’s cross took a deflection of Foz and looped up nicely for Danny
Frazer – one of the half-time arrivals – to volley sweetly home. 3-3 and there now looked to be only one
winner…

Withernsea back in it; 3-2

We required some steadying of the ship but it was
still all hands to the deck as the final whistle approached. Neilson headed one chance wide and was then
denied by Blanny’s excellent block. Tom
Finn poked wide when he should have found the target and in the final moments, Newton’s radar was also
awry when presented with a great chance to snatch it. We were going to extra-time.

Only five minutes had elapsed before the Seasiders
made the next breakthrough; Fitzy’s handball inviting Newton score his second penalty of the
night. The visitors were exultant. Had we any response?

Packing The Ryvita Stand

Oh yes, although there was a kind of comedy caper
element about our equaliser; Wilky, Shane and keeper Richardson all chasing a
ball that fairly zipped across the wet surface before escaping them all…and
settling perfectly in time for Tony Everitt, his little legs going ten to the
dozen, to get there and coolly slot past the covering defender into the
unguarded net before being mobbed by his team-mates.

And Tony must score...

He does...to the delight of th kit sponsor...

And his team-mates!

At 4-4 the game would turn decisively on two
incidents inside as many minutes. First,
Ben Akam produced a wonderful double-save to keep the Seasiders out. Then Foz – majestic at the back all night –
picked up the ball to stride Beckenbauer-like upfield before off-loading to the
willing Wilks out wide. Continuing his
run into the box to meet Wilks’ return pass, Foz’s attempted header was impeded
by the high boot of Finn. Down went the
Easington man to be followed by the shrill bleep of the referee’s whistle;
penalty to Easington.

Fitzy was the man to be entrusted with the
penalty. Now was the time to step in and
ensure the ball he would strike would be worthy of such a moment – loss of matchballs
all evening had resulted in a curious array of training balls being used at
various times. This was no time for a
£1.99 Proton, this was a Mitre Ultimax moment.
And so it proved, Fitzy striking true and hard beyond the despairing Richardson’s outstretched
hand. DC’s boys were 5-4 up and fifteen
minutes away from becoming the first Reserves side ever to lift the South
Holderness Cup.

Up goes Finno's boot, down goes Fozzy...

Down goes Fitzy, in goes the penalty

In fact it was nearer twenty minutes before Mr
Pharaoh finally decided to give the last blasts on his whistle (“Well there
were quite a few cautions”). But when he
did, the celebrations could begin.

Although I now had to switch hats back to South
Holderness Cup Committee mode, it was impossible to turn down the smile that
was threatening to envelop my whole face.
It really did feel like 1997 again.
The excitement that accompanied our first ever win in the competition
was back.

I must admit I found it slightly strange knowing
that Meddy – the man who, inadvertently or not, had had a hand in ensuring a
season of discomfort between the First and Second Team camps – would soon be
stepping up to receive the cup…just two months after resigning his post as
manager of that same team.

Recognition for the Man of the Match

It was sad to see the vast bulk of Seasiders
supporters depart before I actually got round to saying just how important for
the competition it is to have a “strong” Withernsea therein. It was also somewhat disrespectful, given
their team’s part in a truly memorable occasion. But I suppose, having arrived in high spirits
and sunshine only to then see all hopes vanquished in the pouring rain, there
can be some understanding of the decision to get off home quick.

However, no such excuse stands up for the losing
team. Having warned us beforehand to
expect an invasion of The ‘Oss, not one member of the official Withernsea AFC
party saw fit to accept the invitation to retire to the post-match venue, home
of the competition’s main sponsors.
Shame on them.

Redemption for the former Manager!

Setting aside my obvious club bias, this was
undoubtedly the best South Holderness Cup competition and final I’ve been
directly associated with. Many of the
more senior spectators at the Final agreed with the view that it was a
throwback to the glorious days of old.
Indeed, it was just the shot in the arm the competition needs at a time
when grassroots football struggles to provide an attractive alternative to its
over-exposed professional counterpart.The South Holderness Cup’s northern equivalent, The
Tanton Cup (or "Hornsea & District Hospital War Memorial Cup presented by P. C. Tanton Esq" to give it its full
correct title) has just celebrated its 90th anniversary. The 2012 winners were also something of a
surprise – Brandesburton ending Hornsea
Town’s recent monopoly on
the competition. They will now travel
south in August to meet our Reserves for the annual Holderness Cup Winners Cup fixture. Taking its North Holderness
counterpart's longevity as inspiration and with the Holderness Cup Winners Cup as an extra incentive, we should be fairly confident that "Easington United Reserves" is not the last name to be engraved on a trophy
that has been in existence over sixty years and played for in its current
format since 1956.

Putting my club colours back on, the Final provided
a very upbeat end to a very mixed 2011/12 season. It was great to see the smiles on the faces
of so many lads who would otherwise have had little by way of consolation from
a very disappointing campaign. And if
I’m being totally honest it was also good to see this success come at the
expense of some – not all – people who had refused to give their opponents the
respect they deserved. It was noticeable
that several Facebook statuses remained strangely inactive over the next couple
of days.

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This Blog provides...

An opportunity to indulge myself. Local football, real ale, a bit of rugby league & a touch of retro music, these are just a few of my favourite things.It began life as mainly about The Eastenders of Easington and their foray into the Central Midlands Football League.But it soon learnt to digress - leaving plenty of other bits of complete and utter tosh for you to enjoy, abhor or simply ignore!

Sixty Years of The Eastenders 1947-2007

An East Ender

To Holderness people, an 'East Ender' is known as a person living in the area of land skirted by the River Humber on the one side, the sea on the other, and landwise, bounded by, roughly, Dimlington, Holmpton and Welwick, and in the middle is Easington.Easington is the place where you find the real Yorkshire philosophy and humour.The Holderness Gazette, Friday March 19, 1965

About Me

A born and bred 'East Ender' from the #HumberRiviera in God's Country.
Thanks to the wonders of North Sea Gas, I've also worked here for the past twenty-odd years.
I have a very tolerant wife and two beautiful daughters.
Outside my day job, football rules - from local grassroots at Easington United to the Premier League (& back) with the mighty Hull City.
Other sporting dalliances include the "world famous" Hull Kingston Rovers, Yorkshire Cricket and most of our national teams.
I'm involved in football administration at local level and also follow from afar an eclectic mix of teams including Millbrook (Cornwall), Hearts, Glentoran and Hannover 96.
I have a pride in my country (past & present) that sits uncomfortably in today's society, a thirst for real ale that is at odds with the current cafe-bar culture and a taste in music that can be described as "outdated". But being fashionable was never my strongest point!
Oh, and if you're wondering, "Slush" is a nickname that stretches back generations on my dad's side - probably originating from the usual mispronunciation of our surname!

Any of Easington United's four "showpiece" finals: ER County FA Intermediate Cup Final, May 1999; ER County League Junior Cup Final, May 2001; Grays Humber Premier League Cup Final, May 2004; ER County League President's Cup Final, May 2010 - all won!

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The views expressed in this blog are those of the author except where otherwise stated. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Easington United AFC from which 'A Game In Four Quarters' is totally independent.